Last Forever
by Alaine Edear
Summary: "Elaine?" She moved slowly and sat before him on his bed, her face inches from his own. This is it, Remus thought. After all these years, this is my answer to what happened to you. For twenty-one years, I hoped-
1. Young Love

Chapter One: Young Love

"Young love is sacrifice,

Young love is tough . . ."

"Young Love" by Gavin Degraw

The moon, little more than a sliver in the night sky, lit up the forest spread over the land below it. Within the woods, a shadowed figure raced beneath its entanglement of limbs. Fallen branches snapped under its feet as it raced onward. It was late January and frightfully cold that evening, yet the form wore only a light jumper, jeans, and trainers. A few strands of the girl's honey curls clung to her forehead coated in perspiration. She had been running since the sun had vanished beneath the horizon. Now, as she looked up to the sky with evergreen orbs, she saw that the moon was high above her head. Her limbs cried out in pleas of exhaustion. She had never run so far in her entire life. Although, that was not a great span of time; she was only sixteen.

Her gaze turned back to the forest. All around her was blackness. Every direction seemed to be identical. A long sigh escaped her lips as a puff of smoke. She had not accounted for getting lost when she had set out on her journey. Then, a small light barely noticeable from where she stood caught her eye. Immediately, she raced towards it. There was not a moment's hesitation in her steps, and there was no doubt within her mind that it was not her destination.

As she stood at the edge of the forest, she could have screamed for joy. Laid before her eyes was a group of houses. Each varied in size and shape. The home nearest her was the only one which she cared to look at. It was an old fashioned two story brick with a glassed in patio facing her. Inside the patio's glass walls, there hung a wooden swing long enough to fit three people. Presently, it was only occupied by one.

A young boy sat with his back against one armrest, and his legs stretched along the length of the swing. A book rested upon his lap, but his mind was obviously elsewhere as he stared at what seemed to be nothing. Sandy blonde hair hung over his eyes with a boyish charm. Not able to stand idly by a moment longer, the girl stepped forward.

_Snap! _

Her gaze shot downward to find a broken branch beneath her trainer. Her eyes turned back to the boy, who now stood on his guard. He had risen in such a rush that his book had toppled onto the ground before his feet. Cautious and guarded blue-green eyes searched the trees. His hands had shot to his back pocket. Her heart called out to him as she stepped into the pale moonlight.

In what seemed one motion, the boy placed the wand back into his pocket, raced to where she stood, and captured her in his arms. "Elaine, what are you doing here?" he questioned fervently. There was no space between them, not even room to breathe. "Are you alright? You're as cold as death?" All his questions poured out in a single breath. "How long have you been standing here?" His hands shook as they roamed over her shoulders, hair, and face. All things he thought he had seen the last of months ago.

"Remus," she spoke as he continued to fluster over her. His eyes still did not meet her own. "Remus!" Her cry caused his hands to finally still, framing her face which was numb from the cold. "I- I ran away." She took his hands into her own. "I know we had a plan. We promised we would wait until they couldn't stop us, but I couldn't stay there." Her eyes did not meet his as she spoke. She had been weak and foolish and tears came to her eyes at the thought of what could unfold in the next moments. "I just couldn't stay there."

Remus wrapped her in the warmth of his arms once again. The heat from his body spread through not only her body but her heart. "Everything is alright now." For a moment they stood in silence, all their past feelings of loneliness forgotten. It had now been replaced by the desperate need to stay together. "Let's go inside and get you warmed up."

She gently tried to pull away from him. "No, I can't stay. They must have realized I'm missing by now." Her words came out in a rush. "I don't know how long it might take them to catch up with me, and this will be the first place they check."

"Elaine," he spoke gently. "Please come in. At least, let me help you. Once we get you warmed up then we will take it from there. Okay?"

At that moment, nothing sounded more inviting than sitting in front of a warm fire: startling orange flames dancing within the hearth, heat washing over her with the tenderness of a lover's hands. Finally, Elaine allowed a sigh to pass her cold, chapped lips. "Alright, I'll come inside," she quietly spoke, "but only for a moment." Without a word, Remus led her out of the frigid cold and into the welcoming warmth of his home.

There was but one light within the contents of the Lupins' kitchen. The couple passed by the doorway which led to the dining hall and continued to the living room. A large fireplace washed the room in warm tones and shadows as the flames danced to and fro. On one side of the hearth, there was a large weathered couch and on the other were two chairs. Elaine sat on the floor before the hearth, allowing the heat to engulf her. Warm wool glided over her shoulders as Remus draped a blanket over her. Beautiful emerald eyes like grass sparkling with morning dew watched him as he sat on the ground in front of her.

"I've missed you," she plainly stated.

The corner of his mouth hinted a smile. "I thought that would have been obvious."

"I know, but you know me," she half-laughed. "I always state the obvious." A shy smile spread across her face as she tucked a loose curl behind her ear and chose to look at the floor rather than at him.

His hand slowly rose till it cupped her freckled cheek. Her skin, no longer chilled by the night air, had turned pink by the heat of the fire. Meek forrest green eyes stared up at him from under dark lashes.

It had not been long since they had last met, but ever since then Elaine had found herself forgetting his face. Time and time again, she would have to look at his picture, which she kept underneath her pillow, in order to recall the exact color of his eyes or the unique curve of his lips. Now, as she stared at him, she could not fathom how she would be able to forget such things.

Within moments, they were in each other's embrace. Their lips moved together in an affectionate kiss. All the pain brought about by their recent separation poured into one kiss, consuming them. Elaine immediately began to feel the burn of the kiss on her chapped lips. Slowly, she pulled back but refused to fully rid herself of his embrace. In the safety of his arms, she sat and listened to the steady beat of his heart. But the happiness and content, just as she had predicted, was gone with the echoing sound of a knock upon the front door.

Immediately, the pair's attention was caught in trying to distinguish the forms outside. The light illuminating the front door revealed at least two figures standing there. Nothing was recognizable about them through the stained glass window of the door. Nevertheless, Elaine's blood ran cold. "I have to go," she whispered in a panicked voice, her pulse beat deafeningly inside her ears. "If that's them, they can't find me here." She pushed his arms away and began to move around him. She continued to crawl until she reached the bar dividing the kitchen from the living room. When she turned back, she was not shocked to find Remus beside her. "We'll wait until my parents come to answer the door. They'll turn on the light, and it will keep them from seeing us when we leave," he explained taking a firm grip upon her forearm.

Another set of knocks sounded throughout the room, and it was only a matter of moments before the couple heard footsteps upstairs. Then, a light was flicked on which lighted the stairs leading to the second level and the front door. "Now," Remus quietly ushered. Without a word, the couple managed to slip out the door and onto the patio. Elaine continued outside without a slip in her step. "Where are you going?" Remus asked.

"I can't stay here. They can't know that I was here." She tried to pull her arm away, but he wouldn't release her. "I have to get out of sight!" Finally, she managed to pull her arm free. The moon and star above watched as the two teens vanished into the trees.

"Where are you going to go?" Remus inquired once they were sure to be out of sight.

"I don't know." Frantic, she continued walking into the woods. Her hands gripped her tangled mass of curls as though threatening to pull it from its roots. "I have an aunt who lives in America," she spoke more to herself than to anyone else. "Maybe I can go there."

"How are you going to manage getting a ticket to America if you barely managed to get here before your parents?" Remus inquired keeping in step behind her.

A frustrated growl passed her lips. After her marathon through the woods earlier that morning, Abigail was at her wits end both emotionally and physically. "Don't you think I know that, Remus!" She collapsed against a nearby tree. "I don't know what to do." She wiped at her glassy eyes and looked back to him. "What am I supposed to do? I am so exhausted."

Without a word, Remus came, sat beside her, and took her into his arms once again. After a moment, he pulled back to have her rest her forehead against his. "What am I doing?" she asked quietly. "I should have stayed home where I belong. I should have waited until you graduated. Then, we could have been together without all this."

Remus was about to reply saying that it was not her fault and that they would work it out, but a sudden sound froze his words upon his lips. "ELAINE!" a voice shouted. The voice carried all around them through the trees. Again the voice called, "ELAINE!"

"That's my father," she gasped standing and grasping the hard bark of the tree. "How far do you think they are?"

He rose and studied the trees before turning to her. "They're already in the woods," he spoke shooting his eyes between Elaine and the woods leading back to his house.

A small hand grasped his arm turning his full attention on her. "Remus," her voice had taken on a new calmness, making his blood run cold. "Please, listen to me. When, they take me, and it is no longer a matter of if but of when, we will not go back to our new house. They will uproot everything again and find a new place to live. We won't know where one another are, but there may be a way to fix that."

The gears in Remus' mind clicked together and what she intended was evident. "We don't know all the facts about that," he plainly stated. "It's something we need to seriously think through."

"Are you saying you haven't thought about it?" Elaine questioned further. "Because I will be the first to admit that I have."

"Of course I have thought about it, but I don't want this to become something you may regret later on," he explained. His eyes refused to meet hers; instead they searched the woods behind her.

"ELAINE!" her father called once again. His voice was nearer. Remus knew they had but moment before they would be joined by her father.

"Remus." His name was barely a whisper upon her lips. As her fingers intertwined with his, he turned his full attention back to her. Her other hand came up to frame his face. "We've known one another our entire lives. I cannot bear the thought of living without you in my life." Green eyes searched his. "I love you. I know it may sound childish, but I know that I always will, forever."

He pulled his hand from her grasp and watched a shadow pass over her eyes. "You have thought this through completely? Once it is done, there is no changing it." Even as he spoke he was surrounding her with his arms once again. One arm wrapped around her waist whilst the other cradled her head.

"Yes, I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life." Her voice was once again little more than a whisper. "I love you, silly git." Unshed tears sparkled in her eyes.

A smile spread across his face. Even in times such as that, she was cracking jokes and calling him names. "I love you too." Slowly, his head lowered to hers. After planting a light kiss upon her lips, he moved to the crook of her neck. "I love you." His voice was bare audible to his own ears. His lips glided over her neck. "My Elaine."

"ELAINE!"


	2. All Around Me

**Hello everyone! First off, let me say that I never update this quickly. EVER! The first chapter had been written for quite some time for another website, and I just now posted it on fanfiction. Thanks to all those who put this story on their alert list. And a HUGE thanks to Tatiana K for being the first and only person to review the first chapter thus far! I really appreciate every review. Feedback is a big deal, and it only takes a second to write something. Any questions or comments you might have is valuable to me as a writer. Well, I believe that is enough talking. Let's get on to the chapter!**

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" I can feel you all around me . . .

You said you would never leave me"

"All Around Me" by Flyleaf

Chapter Two:

Glistening beads of sweat trickled from every pore of Remus's body as he sat upright in his bed. His eyes darted left and right, taking in the space around him. The chilled, dense forest transfigured into a small crapped bedroom. "It was just a dream," he spoke to no one other than himself. Limbs slowed their shaking, and his breath was again under his control. Heavy eyelids sealed his world in darkness. It was just a dream that haunted him for the past twenty-one years, every night since the last time he had seen Elaine. Every painful memory from that night echoed through his subconscious.

Moonlight from a nearby window illuminated the man's face. Shaking scarred hands brushed the perspiration from his face. Within his mind, he saw her. Every detail from the cold bumps covering her bare, pale arms to the twigs captured by the thick mess of curls framing her face was as clear and vivid as ever. "Remus!" her voice resounded around him. Not aware of his own movements, Remus's hands moved to cover his ears, as if that would silence her screams. Behind closed eyelids, he watched the memory play out.

Elaine's father gruffly tore her out of his grasp. "What the hell do you think you're-,'" her father's words were suddenly cut short. Translucent, silver moonlight filtered through the limbs of the woods and cascaded across her trembling form. A small river of sparkling red blood trickled down her neck. With her upper arm gripped in a death hold, her father drew his wand and pointed it at the teen boy. The anger and resentment painted upon her father's face made his blood run cold. "How dare you!" Her father shouted.

Elaine fought as hard as she could to try and pry herself from her father's grasp. "Please, let me go." But her pleas fell on deaf ears. Her father was too intent on staring Remus down.

"You filthy animal, how dare you do this to my daughter!" he screamed. His wand hand quivered with rage.

"Daddy, please." Elaine was still relentlessly fighting against his grasp. "I love him."

Suddenly, she went limp. A loud snap was heard as the dead weight of her body along with the firm grasp to her upper arm combined, making her arm snap and break. "What did you do to her?" Remus questioned daring to take a step towards them.

"She's none of your concern anymore." For a moment, her father's gaze flickered away from his. "If you ever come near my daughter again, I swear it will be the last thing you ever do." Without another word, they apparated out of the forest.

If only he had been of age to use his magic, maybe then they could have managed to get away. He could have apparated them far away, and they would never have been found. Remus slowly shook his head. There was no point in beating himself up about something that had occurred two decades ago. "You didn't even try to find me, did you?" Elaine's voice whispered in his ear.

Have I not suffered enough! Remus wondered. A cool breeze slid across his hands which were still clasped to his head. "Remus." Someone squeezed his hands, making his eyes shoot open. "Remus," the voice repeated.

In her youth and dressed in the same clothing as the night she had been taken from him was Elaine. She stood next to his bed staring at him. Her usual bright, laughing eyes were puffy and red rimmed. Pale lips were spread in a smile that brought familiar moisture to his eyes. His voiced cracked as her managed to speak her name. "Elaine?"

She moved slowly and sat before him on his bed, her face inches from his own. This is it, Remus thought. After all these years, this is my answer to what happened to you. For twenty-one years I hoped - As though not to startle him, she slowly raised her hand nearly touching his face.

A sudden knocking froze his thoughts. As though caught in falling mist, his vision of Elaine grew blurry, and before he could blink, she was gone. He glanced towards the entrance to his home. Once again three evenly spaced knocks echoed through the hollow air at a higher tempo than those that came before. With a sigh he threw away the sheets, stood, and slipped a moth eaten bathrobe over his pajamas. Each step he took a moan from the floor beneath him followed. What would Elaine think if she could see me now? He wondered as he neared the door. The small kitchen table had become a mound of unopened bills and unread newspapers. What would she think? With one hand in his pocket holding tightly to his wand he called through the door, "Who is it?"

"Remus, its Tonks." His grip slackened. "Are you ready to go?" Suddenly, it hit him. In a few hours, wizards from all over the world would be gathering at Hogwarts for Dumbledore's funeral. "I'm afraid I am not quite ready," he confessed. "Give me just a moment."

Without opening the door, he dressed and prepared himself for the day. His mind gradually wondered away from the task at hand and the young woman who waited outside his door. Elaine, why do I continue to dream only of you? He wondered. Over half of his life had been spent thinking or dreaming about his first love. No, the only girl he had ever loved.

"Sorry about that," Remus stated as he joined Tonks on his front lawn.

"No harm done." The young witch flashed a halfhearted smile for a moment, but her companion was too immersed in his subconscious to take notice. Without a word, she wrapped her arm around his. In a muggle blink, the couple disappeared with crumpled grass being the only witness to their presence a moment before.

Hundreds of miles away, crowds of witches and wizards dressed in their finest robes entered through the ancient metal gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With a pop, two more joined the multitude. Remus and Tonks followed the current of saddened souls to the rear of the school where the ceremony was to take place. Remus allowed his gaze to wonder to his alma mater as unchanged as the day he had graduated. What Elaine would have given to be standing where he was now, he thought studying the stained glass windows as they continued with the crowd towards the Black Lake.

Elaine was from a prominent pureblood family tracing back to before the founders of Hogwarts. Remus smiled remembering her enthusiasm when her elder sister would return home from school for holiday. She would always beg to hear about each and every spell or potion that was being taught. Despite her love for the craft and her impeccable pureblood lineage, she had been born a squib. She would never be able to perform anything more than simple charm spells, if that. He couldn't help but wonder if things would be different if she had been at Hogwarts. Being a few months older than he, if she had been born an witch, she would have been able to apparate them out of the woods that night.

Stop it! He ordered himself. I cannot change what happened in the past. Not even magic could do that. But no matter how much he told himself no, she would always come back to him. He wondered if it was a side effect of what had passed between him and Elaine before she had be ripped from him.

"Remus." A hand gently squeezed his. His gaze wondered to the pink haired witch sitting next to him. They had walked across the grounds and sat before a white marble tomb without his notice. "Are you alright?" She asked searching his face.

"Yes, fine." He replied. His voice came out cold and harsh. "I'm sorry. My mind is elsewhere."

Tonks simply cast him a quick smile and gave his hand a light squeeze before turning her attention to the white tomb. The ceremony was about to start, and all Remus could focus on was the coolness of her hand and how it seemed too small, like a child's.

The entire ceremony became a large blur with Remus struggling to keep his mind focused on what was happening. Thankfully, it did not last long. He was anxious to return home, but, before he could begin his walk back to the edge of the grounds, someone called out to Tonks. He recognized the woman to be an employee of the Ministry. The young witch who had yet to release his hand looked up at him. "Do you mind if I go say hello?" She asked.

He merely nodded his head, and she quickly left his side.

His gaze wondered over the multitude that had turned out for Dumbledore's funeral. Being in such a crowd made him uneasy.

Then, Remus's heart clenched as though the wild beast within him had it in a death grip. Lungs stopped breathing. There she was. No, I am just imaging things again, Remus insisted. Honey brown eyes shifted but always landed on the same subject. Before he could reason with himself, his feet carried him not a foot behind her waiting for a break in her conversation with two other witches.

"Excuse me." He dared not touch her for fear she would vanish just as she had in his room earlier that morning. It seemed to take her a millennium to face him. He did not know how she was there, but she was standing before him. Then, like falling from a dream, reality took a hard kick to his stomach. "I'm sorry. I mistook you for someone else." The woman who now faced him had the same straight nose and dark honey waves, but the eyes that stared back at him reflected not the evergreen leaves of the forest but the dark brown of the earth with thin lines stretching from their corners.

Well, it has finally happened, ole boy. Remus thought to himself. You have officially fallen off your rocker. Approaching women that resembled Elaine was madness.

"Remus?" His attention was thrown from his inner turmoil and back to the woman before him. "Remus Lupin?" She asked squinting her eyes as though he stood a great length off.

"Yes," he replied hesitantly. She was obviously not Elaine, but her face was unfamiliar to him.

"Oh Merlin's beard!" She exclaimed placing a perfectly manicured had over her heart. The more excited she became the more uneasy Remus became. Who was this woman? "It's me, Aggie Garrison. Well, it's Aggie Sarazin now." She smiled at him waiting for the memory of who she was to hit him, and it did, like a steam train plowing through his mind. Agatha, who hated her proper name thus the nickname Aggie, Garrison, was Elaine's elder sister. Unlike her sister, Aggie graduated Hogwarts with top honors. She was one of the best witches in her year. "How are you?" She asked pulling Remus once again from his thoughts.

He could do little more than shrug. "I am alright." How is Elaine, he wanted to scream. Was she alright? Where was she? A million more questions jumbled inside his head threatening to burst out his ears. "And yourself?" He politely responded.

Pale pink lips spread to reveal a dazzling white smile. "I am well. Here with my husband." She pointed behind him. Remus turned to see a exceedingly well dressed wizard talking with the new minister of magic. The wizard caught Aggie's eye and gave her a quick wink. "I can't believe it has been so long," Aggie breathed turning Remus's attention back to her. "It must have been at least twenty years?"

"Twenty-one, actually," he mumbled. And roughly nine months, he added within his mind.

"I'm sorry?" She seemed to not have heard him.

"Oh, nothing." A moment passed by. Then, the question he had been longing to ask filled his mouth. "Aggie, what happened -"

"Remus," a voice called to him. Not two seconds later, Tonks was once again by his side. "I was wondering where you had gone." Then, she noticed the other woman standing before them. Before she had a chance to speak, Aggie took charge. "Hello, I am Aggie Sarazin," she said as she extended her left hand for Tonks to take, plainly displaying her wedding rings. The old werewolf could barely contain a chuckle at his past friend's behavior. Same old Aggie, he thought. "Remus and I attended school together," Aggie informed the younger witch. "I taught him everything his knows about being the perfect prefect." Tonks merely nodded her head. "Have not seen him in- What did we decide twenty-one years?" Her deep brown eyes locked with his for a moment. "That's a lot of time to catch up on." Aggie broke eye contact for just a moment. "I'm sorry, but it appears that it is time for me to be going."

Remus's heart rate increased tenfold. I can not let her walk away without at least finding out if Elaine is alive and safe. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Remus, how about I send you an owl sometime, and we can catch up. Relive the glory days," she suggested. "And talk about old flames." With the look in her eyes, there was no doubt in his mind that she was meaning anyone or anything other than Elaine. All he could do was nod for if he had spoken he was unsure what would have come out. "It's settled than." Giving her no more than a tilt of her head, Aggie wished Tonks farewell. As she walked past Remus to her husband, she gave his shoulder a reassuring touch as if to say that everything was going to be alright. She hoped. The moment her back was to him, her smile faded. Her lips formed a single thin pink line. "I know what that look means," her husband stated, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they began their descent back to Hogsmeade Village.

"I am just ready to go home." Aggie had always been the steady ground, the level head. Her mind dissected every emotion and every new question that poured into her head and filed them away as they neared the edge of the grounds. Taking her husband's hand firmly within her own, they disapparated.

Half a moment later, they reappeared in the family room of a large and spacious two story house. Everything around them symbolized the wealth that they shared. "Abigail! Valerie! Your father and I are home," Aggie called up the deep auburn stairs leading to the second floor.

"Okay!" Two female voices shouted back neither showing themselves.

Aggie shrugged. They had been forced to return home after Dumbledore's death. Obviously, they were still sour about it.

"Aggie," another voice called from down a hall, "The girls helped me put together some stew. It's on the stove still if you want some. Didn't know if you would have any appetite after the funeral." With each word the voice became louder and clearer.

A smile slowly spread across Aggie's face. She hoped it did not reveal her inner sadness not for the legendary wizard that had lost his life but for the woman before her. She was middle aged and just beginning to show her age. Light lines barely peeked out from her deep emerald eyes and at the corners of her mouth. Her lips were the same shade and shape as Aggie's in a small pleasant smile not revealing her teeth. Chocolate waves cascaded to her collarbone. Her robes were of the finest material Aggie could get her hands on, and she sat in a well cushioned dark wood chair with two large wheels coming to her hips.

"Thanks, sweetie," Aggie said keeping her voice as void of emotion as possible. "I might have some a little later." She felt the sudden urge to cry, but she refused to let herself feel sorry for the woman for she knew it would only upset her. The woman sitting before her held more courage than any Auror and more strength than the Dark Lord.

She began to roll away back down the hall where she had come when Aggie called to her making her swivel to face the elder witch. I should tell her, Aggie thought. But she has grown so strong. Would what I tell her undo it all? After a pause that seemed too long to be natural, she spoke a simple, "I love you."

The woman peered down the hall at her and smiled the same smile and replied, "I love you too, big sis."

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	3. Part of Your World

_Hello again! This is the quickest I have ever updated a story. Thanks to all my readers for the hits that you give me each time you view my chapters. AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO TATIANA K! She is still the only one to have reviewed this story. Please, if you like what you read (and since this is the third chapter I am guessing you must like it at least a little to be reading this), leave a review. It is really encouraging to authors. Makes us want to write more chapter even quicker. *wink* If you get my drift. Another huge thanks to Annabella Black for being my beta. I hope you guys all enjoy the chapter. I'll give you a hint as to what happens . . . it is the moment several of you have probably been waiting for. :)_

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"Where would we walk?

Where would we run? . . .

Someday I'll be

Part of your world"

"Part of Your World" by Disney

Chapter Three:

A loud whistled vibrated against the walls of the Sarazin household. "Oh, shh," Aggie ordered pointing her wand at the tea pot. "Pesky thing," she ran a hand through her honey curls which held no evidence of the deep slumber she had just awoken from. The sun had risen on another day.

Each day, Aggie counted her blessings. The Wizarding world was on the brink of war, and she prayed that the battle never came near her family. With dark brown eyes, she watched the tea pot levitate itself where three cups holding tea bags waited to be filled. "Good morning." She turned to see Elaine roll into the kitchen already dressed and hair twisted into a bun.

"Good morning," Aggie replied. She took a tea cup now filled with simmering tea and placed it in her sister's hands. Elaine slowly brought the tea bag out of her cup, but, before it touched the saucer, it levitated away from her and disappeared. "Thank you," the younger woman spoke smiling a gentle smile before bringing the cup to her lips.

With a flick of Aggie's wrist, breakfast began preparing itself. Pots and pans flew from the cabinets. Ingredients broke out of the pantry and began mixing themselves.

A small squeak emitted from Aggie's mouth as two thick hands gripped her waist. "Well, someone is on edge this morning," Seyton mused not taking his hands from his wife's body.

"I wouldn't be on edge if it wasn't for someone-" She shot a pointed glance to her husband who still stood behind her. "- taking pleasure in startling me."

They were interrupted by a small burrowing owl swooping through a window that had been opened just far enough for it to fit through and plopped itself on the bar next to Aggie and Seyton. The Daily Prophet and two envelopes hung from its beak. Aggie took the mail, while Seyton took three copper coins from the pocket of his robes. Suddenly, Aggie's eyes widened. "Wait!" She exclaimed.

Her sister and husband looked at her as though she had sprouted a third head.

She recomposed herself then stated in a cool tone, "I have a letter I need sent. I will be back in a moment." She quickly excused herself from their company and vanished down a hallway towards her husband's study.

Seyton's attention turned to the spread of breakfast. Warm steam rose from each plate. "Pardon me, Elaine," he said placing the three coins back in his pocket and moving past his sister-in-law to the dark stairs leading to Valerie and Abigail's chambers. The small owl hooted after the wizard, upset at the delay in his payment. Elaine wheeled herself to the bar where the owl was perched. With slow movements, she raised her hand to gently stoke its breast. "I bet you have seen the entire world," she mused looking the bird up and down. Before her thoughts had a chance to wonder, Aggie glided back into the room a sealed envelope in her hand.

"Have you paid him yet, dear?" She asked after placing the letter in his beak.

"Not yet, sweetheart." As he spoke, he removed the coins from his pocket and placed them in the small pouch around the bird's foot. Immediately, the owl spread its wings and soared out the window.

Elaine's cool green gaze followed it until it ventured beyond her sight. She could do little to hold back the longing in her heart. Had that very same owl delivered mail to a man with milky blue eyes? She wondered. The clatter of the plates setting themselves a little too roughly upon the dining table startled her from her thoughts.

"Breakfast is served," Seyton called looking into the blackness that led to his daughters' rooms. A moment of nothingness passed by, he had just opened his mouth when two groans flowed from the within the black hole. "We are coming."

Not waiting for their daughters, Aggie positioned herself at one end of the table, and Seyton took the opposite. Wordless, Elaine rolled to her usual gap at the table alongside her sister. That was when Abigail and Valerie finally joined the rest of the family. Both were still dressed in their pajamas and hair tousled. Neither of them spoke a word as they each grabbed a piece of toast and began spreading it with their favorite jellies; Abigail loved grape, Valerie would never settle for anything but peach. Gradually, Seyton and Elaine joined in partaking of the delicious food before them. Seyton's tea, which he had not grabbed earlier, floated with the tea bag already removed to his place setting.

"Elaine," Aggie spoke in a gentle voice that still caused the younger woman to jump slightly.

She turned to her sister. A questioning expression stamped on her face that was nearly void of any lines.

"You're not eating." It was both a statement and a question.

Elaine dared not look in her elder sister's eyes. She feared she would see the concern that always plagued their muddy depths. "Lost in my own world again," Elaine stated before she began to slowly fill her plate.

The rest of the family, including the teen witches to everyone's shock, bantered in small talk. However, Elaine's full focus was on her plate. She delicately cut and chewed each morsel as she had been taught at a young age. Pureblood children were raised to have impeccable etiquette both at the dining table and in the social circles. Eventually, her food could no longer hold her attention. A pleasant laugh filled the air. She turned to Aggie whom she knew was the culprit, laughing to one of Seyton's jokes she guessed. I owe her so much, Elaine thought studying her sister but for a moment before returning to her breakfast. She dared not ponder how things might have been if her sister had not the compassionate and loving heart that beat strong beneath her bosom. Green eyes wondered to the delicate black banded watch strapped round her wrist.

"I'm afraid it is time that I take my leave," Elaine stated dabbing her mouth with her napkin.

"What time do you get off today?" Aggie inquired resting her utensils on the rim of her half-eaten plate.

"Two." Elaine rolled back from the table. "I will be home to help with dinner."

"Alright," her sister simply stated. "Please, be careful, and floo home if anything seems awry."

"I know. I promise that I will be careful." She wheeled herself before the fireplace and pushed up the small ramp that had been installed for her usage. With a small handful of floo powder, she positioned her chair to once again face her family. Only Aggie watched her as she dropped the dust and spoke in a firm clear voice, "Diagon Alley."

With a loud thud and surrounded by green flames, Elaine shot into the hearth of Flourish and Blotts. Soot covered her entity. "It's about time you go here!" Elaine finished dusting herself and gazed at the old witch standing before her. She was an exceedingly thin woman which, when combined with her age, made her appear frail. She was the prime example of the old saying; don't judge a book by its cover. "We just received new shipment," she stated in a hoarse, raspy voice. "You are to take inventory of all of it and store it in the back room."

"Yes, Ms. Bottoms," Elaine replied with a bow of her head. Her voice came out as even and polite as ever. With her lips stretched in a small smile, she rolled past her boss to the back of the shop where new deliveries were held. I wish just one day she would have some reason to be glad and smile, Elaine thought entering a small room with boxes and crates staked until they threatened to reach the ceiling. Lying atop the nearest box was a stack of parchment and quill. Listed was every book and the quantity of each they were to have received.

"_Sir Oswald Elfington's Guide to Mermaids and Other Creatures of the Deep_," she read the first title on the list. Immediately, the boxes from the stack nearest her began to dance. One box near the floor shot from its place and levitated before her. Lifting its lid, she found the book she had been looking for. After checking her list, she counted the number of copies and checked it from the list. Over the next couple of hours, this pattern repeated itself over and over until every item on her list had been checked and the room was full of empty boxes. "Finally finished."

A look of triumph played on the squib's face. Three years ago, no matter how enchanted everything in the shop was, it would not obey her words. She had feared that in addition to never being capable of casting spells that even enchanted objects would ignore her. Thankfully, things have changed, she thought as she wheeled from the room. As she had checked each item from the list, they had automatically stacked themselves in a storage room waiting for shelf space to become available.

Humming a familiar tune, Elaine moved through the closely spaced bookshelves to the first desk. There Ms. Bottoms sat in a well cushioned chair behind dark blue desk that was in desperate need of another coat of paint. "The entire inventory has been properly checked in and stored," Elaine informed her.

"Then, you can take these." The old witch plopped a rather heavy stack of books onto Elaine's lap. "Put them in their proper places."

Wordless, Elaine nodded her head and ventured back into the multiple aisles of books. A quiet tune followed her as she did her work. "What would I give to live where you are," she spoke in a hushed whisper as she slid a book into its proper place.

Time passed slowly. A small bell above the door rang each time a customer would either enter or leave. To Elaine, it was her constant anchor to the physical world, pulling her from her thoughts. Book after book, she returned them to their appropriate home. Each time she returned to Ms. Bottoms, a new stack was dropped upon her, and the younger woman would leave with her pleasant smile never faltering. She was glad to have such busy work. She knew the title and place of every item contained in the numerous shelves filling the store.

Once again nearing the back of the store, Elaine slid a book in its place and glanced at the next one in her lap. _Introduction to Basic Charms_ was scrolled across its cover in silver letters. Creeping, excited green eyes glanced to either end of the aisle. No one was in sight. She opened the cover like it was Christmas morning. Her thoughts tumbled to when she was a child and would gather all her sister's old school books into her room and read them cover to cover.

The bell chimed as a customer entered the store. Again, she looked to the front but could not see the door from where she sat. Elaine listened for a moment then returned her attention to the book open in her lap. Once again lost in a world she had never known, she began humming.

"Elaine!" Ms. Bottom's voice called as her footsteps drew nearer.

Elaine shut the book and moved to the end of the aisle just as her employer reached her. "Yes?" She spoke wondering how long she had been sitting there and if Ms. Bottoms had called her name more than once.

"Stop humming and continue the task assigned to you," the elder woman barked.

As Elaine looked up at her, she noticed a shift in her eyes and her face become considerably kinder.

"I'm sorry, sir," the shop owner apologized placing a hand against her chest and bowing her head. "Is there something I can help you with?"

The younger woman swiveled to face the opposing end of the aisle where a man stood. Her heart quickened and seemed to drop into the pit of her stomach. How had she not felt his presence before?

"Actually, I was already being assisted." He gestured to Elaine.

Her pulse beat loudly within her mind. I have fallen into one of my dreams again, she thought to herself.

"My mistake," Ms. Bottoms stated obvious displeasure in her voice. With that, the elderly woman walked away.

Elaine slowly studied the man before her, taking in every detail and forcing it into her mind. He was dressed in loose, ill-fitted clothing and was taller than the average man for the tip of his head was near the top of the bookshelves. As soon as her eyes met his, she felt herself willingly drowning in their murky blue depths. How she longed to run to him, as she had in her dreams. But even at such a sight, her legs refused to move. The urge pulsed through them, but the muscles, she feared, would never respond.

Remus Lupin walked towards her shoving his hands in his pockets as he spoke, "I am aware that I have aged but hurt to think that you do not recognize me." He joked.

Elaine smiled to herself. Joking at a moment like this must be a trait he picked up with the Marauders. "It's not that," she spoke quietly, her eyes never leaving his own. "I have dreamed of seeing you again in many different ways. It never played out like this." Pale pink lips stretched into a small smile. "You _have_ changed, though."

"Yes, and you don't seem to have aged a day," he countered.

Unfamiliar warmth spread across her face. All she wanted was to reach out and grab him. She clasped her hands atop the books in her lap. "There is nothing one can say in answer to a compliment," Elaine spoke thinking back to their summers spent together lounging wherever they pleased. He would always seem to have a new novel in his hands. One of his favorites was Mark Twain's _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court_.

"I always feel that they have not said enough," Remus completed the quote of one of his favorite writers.

"Remus." His name tasted like decadent chocolate on her lips. There are so many things I want to tell you, she screamed inside. Emotions threatened to bubble over her dark brown lashes. If I cry now, she reasoned, he will fear that he has hurt me or made me remember a past I wish I could forget.

He looked nowhere but her eyes, waiting for her to speak.

How wrong he would be, she thought shaking her head. "How did you find me?" She finally asked.

"Yesterday, I attended Dumbledore's funeral," he began.

"Agatha!" The woman exclaimed before clamping a hand over her mouth. If Ms. Bottoms found out Remus was there to socialize not shop, she would literally push him out the door. "That . . . that witch! I cannot believe she kept this from me." Her voice was incredibly calmer when she spoke again. "Nevertheless, it is good to see you." Elaine found it impossible to stop the tug at her lips that continued to plant a smile on her face. Sitting before him, she felt the same butterflies she had as a young girl.

"I received a letter from your sister this morning," he spoke. "She said that I could find you here."

Peeking behind him, Elaine caught the hunched figured of Ms. Bottoms passing by. Her eyes bore into the younger woman's. The darkness in them left no doubt as to their meaning. Elaine's gaze quickly dropped to the books in her lap.

"Are you alright?" Remus asked trying to see her eyes once again.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just that I should be getting back to work." She tucked a nonexistent stand of hair behind her ear.

Words began sprouting out of the werewolf's mouth like garden gnomes. "When can I see you again?"

Her heart skipped a beat. He wanted to see her again and soon by the tone of his voice. "Well, I don't get off for another couple of hours," she started.

"May I wait for you?"

Ever the gentleman, she thought, asking if he could wait for her. Of course, she wanted to scream, but all she could muster was a nod.

Next thing she knew, she was watching Remus's retreating form as he vanished towards the front of the shop. It was not until she heard the familiar ding of the bell signaling the door had opened and shut that she had been holding her breath.

Immediately, Elaine jumped back to work. She stacked every book Ms. Bottoms gave her with Remus never leaving her thoughts.

I can't believe after all this time, she spoke to herself, and we have found each other. How could Aggie not tell me they had met at Hogwarts? I must not forget to question her in regard to her actions when I return home. Neither can I forget to hug her until she begs for release. After twenty-one years, we can be together like we always dreamed of.

Pausing in her work, Elaine touched the right collar of her robes where the memory of their last meeting was hidden. Calmness soothed her skin like a smooth current making her sigh. The tension, worry, sadness, and pain that had evolved inside her was finally beginning to slowly melt away.

At long last, the thin strapped watch wrapped around Elaine's wrist struck two o'clock. All of her duties had been performed to the fullest. "Goodbye, Ms. Bottoms," she cheerfully said wheeling past the elder witch still seated at her desk. Not waiting for a reply, she pushed open the door to the shop. Her eyes found him immediately.

No one knew if he had sensed she was there or if it had been the sound of the door closing that had caused him to turn, unsure as to whether the door had shut at that point, and look up at her. His hands were clasped behind his back, ever proper and gentlemanly.

Gazing up at Elaine, Remus felt his breath vanish from the confines of his chest. She still had an effect on him that words could not describe. Her dark evergreen eyes shined at him. Neither moved. Perhaps they feared if they did, the moment would melt away like a dream. But this is no dream, Remus thought to himself.

As though hearing his thoughts, pale, pink, perfectly shaped lips spread into a full smile. White teeth shone like she was on the verge of laughter, and a small dimple formed in the right-hand corner of her mouth. It was the first true and unguided smile he had seen or she had allowed herself to indulge in over twenty years. Somehow, in that simple gesture, the war that was threatening to consume both the muggle and wizard world seemed farther away.

* * *

_So, how did you like it? I promise there is more to come in the next chapter, which I hope to have up in maybe another week. Once again **please leave a review**. Did you like it? Did you not like it? Are you excited to see more? Hope you all stick around to see what happens next. _


	4. Don't Hate Me

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

First off, I cannot believe that it has been three years since I updated this story. It was suppose to be an easy write. Had every single chapter outlined, and it was suppose to be a piece of cake. As you can tell, that obviously did not happen. I logged on today and wanted to just tell you all that this story HAS NOT BEEN ABANDONED! It was intended to be a short story from the beginning no more than six or so chapters if I remember correctly. (The notebook that had all my notes and outline vanished a long time ago. Part of the reason I haven't updated. Bad reason, I know.) There WILL be a new chapter that I swear will be as lengthly as possible, and finally include so real Elaine and Remus interactions which I know you have been wanting if you care for the story at all. Which I assume you do since you are reading this. After three years. And if you are just now getting introduced to this short little fic, be happy you will not have such a long hiatus to wait out that others have! Once again, I know I am a terrible author for not updating! My deepest apologies! And there will be a new chapter within the next week. There! I gave myself a deadline, and I will stick too it! Thank you once again for reading my story! It means so much to log on and see the hits and reviews my writing receives. See y'all in T-1 week!


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